Recording, filing, and account-keeping system.



, 11. 11. GRAPE'.

RECORDING, FILING, AND ACCOUNT KEEPING SYSTEM. 4 l APPLIoA'rmn H Lnn um.9, 1.911. f l l 1,010,895. f Patented Dec. 5, 1911.

z sums-SHEET 1.

- y H. 11. GRAF?. RECORDING, FILING, AND ACCOUNT KEEPING SYSTEM.-APPLICATION FILED AUG. 9, 1911.

1,010,895. j Patented A111m. 5, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

1. www? MM.,

. sectional view HARRY H. GRAFF, OF

i REGISTER COMPANY, 0F ALLIANCE, OHIO, ACORPORATION OF OHIO.

RECORDING, FILING, AND ACCOUNT-KEEPING SYSTEM. i

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dee. 5,k 1911.

Application led August 9, 1911. Serial No. 643,201.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, HARRY II. GRAFF, acitizen of the United States, residing at Winthrop, in the county ofSuffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain newy anduseful Improvements in and Relating to Recording, Filing, and Account-Keeping Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a recording, filing and account keepingsystem, wherein slips or sheets of paper are filed in improved holdersand in classified order for convenient reference.

It consists in providing a system comprising series of combined accountkeeping and clinical recording and holding folders, which aresystematically arranged in classes and sub-divided into groups, oneclass of holders serving to record and keep the records permanently in amanner permitting them to be inspected, and the other class of foldersoperating to hold memoranda temporarily.

For the purpose of illustration, I have, in the accompanying drawings,shown and herein described one form of recording, filing and accountkeeping system embodying my invention. j

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a system, mounted in a suitable casingembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse through the casing. Fig.3 is a perspective view of a folder, opened. Fig. 4: is a similar viewshowing a number of slips attached to the back of the folder.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are side elevations of the l folder, Fig. 5 showinga'folder in normal position, Fig. 6 showing it partially expanded andFig. 7 illustrating it completely collapsed before any record slips arefiled within it. p l The invention has been adapted to the recording andkeeping of a physicians or surgeons records relating tohis patients. Inthe following description of such application, I do not wish to belimited to such use, since its principle can be adapted to other fields.

In the drawings, 1 Vindicates a casing, which may be of any suitable orlpreferred form 0f construction. It is preferably of rectangular shapeand may be adapted to guides in a housing or cabinet frame', if desired.As' shown, the

is preferably cut away at l to expose the necessary. for a partiallyfront of the easing front of the first index card, and the upper edge ofthe first folder. i

l indicates a hand `gripping device by which the case can'be pulledforwardly onits support. v

2 indicates a series of folders or pockets adapted to receive entriesand also inclose and hold record slips or blanks for filing, permanentreference and keeping purposes.

3 indicates a series of folders or pockets adapted to receive and holdmemoranda temporarily. Y v y Each folder or pocket 2 or 3 comprises asheet of paper (preferably tag board) scored along. sets of parallellines to form a back 2, a front 2b, top and bottom walls 2, and anauxiliary back 2d.

be later described. This form of construction also has the advantage ofpermitting the folders to be stored/without taking up any more room`than is required to accomrnodate the space actually occupied by theirwalls.

The adaptability of a folder to occupy'a minimumv amount of space isclearly illustrated in Fig. 7. This form of construction has the furtheradvantage of accommodating itself to the number of record slipscontained within it. That is to say,

when one or more slips are led within a foldery 2 orB, it expandsoutwardly or adjusts itself tolthat'number of slips, and when anadditional slip or slips are placed within, it expands outwardly again:sa result of this operation, it will be under- WINTHROP,MAssAcHU-snr'rs, Assrenon TojvTHE Mecnsxnx These walls are foldedrelative to each other to form a pocket or inclosure for record slipsorblanks as will stood that no more 'space in the case is v filled folderthan that. required for its Walls plus the slips inclosed thereby. Thisis an important feature of the construction because in a system of thischaracter a very small roportion of the folders will contain a maximumof slips i at any one time. The remaining lfolders will contain slipsvarying greatly 1n number. -v

Upon the inner to form columns, to receive the tot al charges and thecredits and other information as follows: The dates covered by the thisis included in the first two columns, one being headed From and theother To as indicated at 2e, 2e. The third column from the left handfaces of the walls 9.4, and f. 2b, ofthe folders 2,vertical lines areprinted edge (as viewed in Fig.

number l total charge;

' credits, ed or ruled to provide spaces 2k, 2l, in which 3),represented at 2f, is intended to receive a notation of the kind oftreatment administered. Any sign or abbreviation may be adaptedtoindicate this information. The fourth column from the left, indicated at2g, receives the total charges for treatment or professional servicesand is headed Dr.. The second column from the right hand edge of thefolder (as viewed in Fig. 3), indicated at 2b', receives the credits orpayments on account from time to time, while the last column, or the oneadjacent to the right'hand edge, indicated at 2*,receives'the amount ofthe balance, which may be figured up each time a charge or a credit isentered. Intermediate 'between the Dn and Cn column a date colunm isprovided, as indicated at 2J. This arrangement permits one suchcolumn'only for both the charge and credit columns. It will beunderstood that there is one of these folders for each patient. Abovethe columns for the charges and the inner face ofthe wall 2al is print-V'may be written the name and address of the patient, respectively, andalso at 2m the name i `of the disease or trouble with which the patientis suffering. The names of the patient and the disease are preferablyarranged near the upper edge of the folder in order that they will be 1nfull view when the folders are filed in the case (see Fig.. 1.) The wall2is preferably cut awayas indicated at 2a in'order that the indexescarried by division cards 5 maybe readily seen.

The folders 2 may be classified alphabetically, either according to thenames of the patlents or according to the names of the diseases. Eachdivision card 5 is provided at one side with an index 5a, which alineswith4 the cutaway portions of the folders 2.

. Bythis arrangement and construction, it

will be seen that the indexes are all arranged one behind the other andthat the openings in the folders expose them to full View.

4 indicate record' blanks one of which is intended to be filled out eachtime a treatment or service is rendered by the physician. Part of theblank is ruled or printed to provide a space 4a for the date on whichthe services are rendered, a space 4b for the name ofthe patient and aspace 4 for the name of the person to whom the services are to be icharged. A ruled column 4d may also be provided to receive the financialaccount or charge for the visit. In this column is entered the amountcarried forward from a previously filled out blank; also, below suchamount is entered the charge, whereby the total lof the account can befigured., Below ,N such total may be entered the amount paid, when suchtransaction occurs, and the balance due, suitable abbreviations -4ebeing provided to indicate these different entries. At 4f may be printeda list of names, such as Oliice visit, Regular visit, etc.,'to inuicate,as by av check mark opposite one of them, the place where the serviceswere rendered. The remaining part of each blank is provided withsuitable designated spaces 4g in which is to be entered certain datashowing the physical condition of the patient and other matters ofinterest for future reference in the case.

The record blanks may be arranged in tablet or book form, or otherwisesecured together, which permits them to be detached, one by one. Theymay also be carbonized on one side as shown at 4 so that a duplicaterecord can be made each time a blank is filled out. Preferably, theblanks 4 are mounted in a book which carries a carbon sheet. In thismanner a duplicate copy of the record is made. This is of importanceparticularly in the writing out of a prescription as it permits thephysician to retain one copy for himself. This copy of the prescriptionis liled with the record blankand thus becomes apart of the physicianspermanent records. The temporary record containing folders 3 arepreferably arranged behind the permanentv record containing folders 2.The temporary holders 3 ray be divided and sub-divided into groups, oneexample in carrying out my system consisting of twelve groups, one foreach month, and then sub-divided one for each day of each month. Forordinary purposes, I prefer to divide the folders 3 into groups ofseven, as shown at 3", whereby one folder is provided for each day ofthe week in each group. As many groups 3b are provided as may be foundnecessary to accommodate the calls set in advance from time to time. Thename of the week day is shown at 3"i on the back wall of the folder. Thememoranda for calls or visits-may consist of the record blanks 4. WVhena call is to be made on a particular day or a request is received from apatient-,

a blank with a proper memorandum thereon is inserted in the folder setapart for that day. Since the physician turns to one of these folders 3each day before starting on his daily rounds, his attention is directedto the memoranda contained thereon. It will be understood that theseymemoranda mayv also serve as a complete list of calls to be 4made eachday, they being filed in the folders 3 from time' to time, so that atthe beginningof each days work, thelist of calls for that day will beall ready and complete.

Separate casings 1 may be provided for active cases, that is, patientswho have not been dismissed; open accounts or those wherein the patientshave recovered but the accounts therefor have not been settled andclosed cases or those in which the patients have recovered and thecharges therefor settled in full.

Each day before leaving his oice the physician opens the folder?) forthatday and ascertains .from `the record blanks 4 therein what calls`are to be made. l At thebedside of each patient visited, he diagnosesthe case and records upon a blank 4 (which may be the same one takenfrom the folder 3), 1n various spaces provided therefor, the condition'ofthepatient, and other informat-ion, such as the patients familyhistory, which the physician may find of assistance to him. At the sametime, he checks one of the names vdesignating the kind of call made andenters the amount of his charge for the services rendered. When thephysician returns to. his oiice, he places each ifilled-inrecord blank 4into. its respective folder 2; he then brings forward the last char e orlast total charge, entering` it abov'e t e charge fork the visit just,`1nade,'addingthe amounts together, to ascertain the present totalcharge .which is written in opposite the abbrevia-A tion Tot Thechargesto date are thus totaled for' carrying forward on the nextblank.' In case av remittance lis received,

.the amount thereof is entered in the space lopposite .theabbreviationydf. and the balance dueenteredbelow it. yThis balancethen-becomes the amount to carry forward.

1 '.lthe folders 2 are then filed in--their respecvtlve places behind 'adivision card 5.

6 indicates afdevicewhich serves to detachably secure the 'blanks inthefolders.

-.- A dditional securing .devices 'may be providedif necessary.

and' been dismissed the inancial account- IVhen a patient hascompletely-recovered -of the case is entered up on the inner-face of.the folder by inserting inthe .columns headed From and To the dateswhen` the services commenced and ended; also inserting in thetotalcharge and the date thereof-in the` columns 2g, 2j, respectively.

rI-`he folder is then placed with those classi' ified as Open accountsAfter the account is settled, the folder is placed in Closed cases.

On the doctors return to his ofice and, atthe tim-eethe filled-in blanksare filed away in their'respective folders, if another visit to thepatient is to'be made, an additional blank may be filled ifi with` thename of the y. patient and filed i# one'of the temporary folders 3, thatis inQthe-jone designated for the day when the next'visit is to be made.lf'desired, the total chargemay be carried forward on this yblank inorder that the physician will have this information with him when makingthe next call. By this operation, it will be understood that the calllists for each day will always be complete and ready for examination. Itwill valso be understood that the data for each patlenthas to be writtenonly once, that is to say,

plurality ingy the when a call is to be made, the date,iname and iaddress is filled in on a blank 4 and the-` latter placed in `the folderof thevday effi* the week that the callis noted for. VOnthat` day thephysician removes theI blank from the folder '3 and carries it withhim'to the bedside of the patient. Here additional spaces relating tothe patients condition, the nature of the call and the charge are illedi'n. On the physicians return to his i oiice, the remaining spacesrelating to the account are filled in and the blank is then filed in afolder 2. Thus it will be seen that in carrying out the system in itscomplete form, no data or record 4is written more than' once.

What I claim-is p 1. In a recording and filing system, a'

'plurality of groups of folders adapted to inclose record slips orblanks, each of said folders being scored on sets of parallel lines to4provide'a front wall, aback wall, top-and,

-.bottom walls and an auxiliary 'back and said back wall being formedwith a'cutawayportion, a series of division cards carrying 1ndexes whichare alined `with said cutaway portions, andajdevice for 'detachablyconnecting record slips or blanks to said back 2. In a recording andfiling system,

of groups of folders adapted to inl close record sl'ipsl or blanks, eachofy said folders being scoredon sets of parallel lines to provide afront wall, a back wall, top and bottom walls and an auxiliary back,

,andV said back lwall being formed with a cutaway portion, and a seriesof division cards carrying indexes which are alined with'said cutawayportions, the said auxil# iary back being folded downwardly parallel tothe back wall and said back wall extending-upwardly beyond the upperedgeof the front wall and provided with entry spaces..4 f

3. In a recording and filing system, a collapsible folder folded'alongsets of paralylel ,l'in'es to form a back wall, a front wall,

receiving slips.. g Q f lIn testimony whereof I afix my signature, inthe presence of two witnesses.

HARRY H. Gears.

Witnesses:

` JOHN J. GRANT,l

CHARLEsW. VAREY.

